By NESTOR F. SEBASTIAN
It's been all business in the Uruguayan and Costa Rican camps this week, ahead of their first-leg playoff match at San Jose's Saprissa stadium, with no bulletin-board material or off-key quotes to rile each other up.
Instead, it's generally been a pleasant environment for players, media corps and managers, both of whom have praised each other's squad's games and achievements but have also divulged very little information on their respective teams' workouts.
A majority of Uruguay's players, including Atletico Madrid's Diego Forlan, have been in Guatemala since Monday, training on artificial turf in one of Guatemala City's training centers in anticipation of the famed surface in Saprissa. But most of the players have brushed off the effects of the field. Even manager Oscar Washington Tabarez, who appeared somewhat miffed at the constant questions about the Ticos' home-field advantage at a press conference this week, labeled it a non-issue.
Meanwhile, the Costa Ricans are in good spirits and have been straight-laced in their statements to the press, proclaiming respect for the Uruguayans but firmly indicating that there is no fear. Tico fans and press realize the tradition that Uruguay boast and the type of players it produces but Costa Rica have developed their own tradition, albeit a recent one, but nonetheless a growing one that's seen its national team qualify to the World Cup in the past two editions with its most successful one in 1990 when they reached the second round.
Right-back Gilberto Martinez (Brescia, Italy), dropped last month for hitting the beach when he was supposed to report to camp prior to the Ticos' final two qualifiers, is back and will be needed to man a defense that will be responsible for a potentially dangerous Uruguayan attack. Young starlet Bryan Ruiz (Twente, Holland), a name that U.S. fans should know after his brace in last month's 2-2 draw in D.C. will look to form a decent offensive platform in the Tico artillery along with Walter Centeno (Saprissa) and top goalscorer veteran Rolando Fonseca (Comunicaciones, Guatemala).
On the other side, Uruguay will pair Luis Suarez (Ajax, Holland) with Forlan with veteran Sebastian Abreu (Aris Thessaloniki, Greece) as another option. The Charruas will be missing four players through suspension including Martin Caceres (Juventus, Italy) and Diego Perez (Monaco, France) but Tabarez did call up exciting youngster Nicolas Lodeiro (Nacional) for his first cap.
With Saprissa rocking Saturday night, the Ticos will have a chance to pounce on an unsuspecting Uruguay squad that is not familiar with Central American style as well as the artificual turf, that no matter what the players say, will indeed have an effect on the management of Uruguay's play. Also, consider that Uruguay is a classic Jeckyl-and-Hyde side that have looked brilliant in some matches during South American qualifying against some of the top sides but looked lackluster at other times
against minnows.
Costa Rica will need all the advantage it could take. Wenesday's second-leg match at the famed Centenario stadium will be a whole other story.
Is Uruguay too strong for Costa Rica? Or will Costa Rica brush off the underdog status? What do you think of the CONMEBOL-CONCACAF playoff? Share your thoughts below.
Vamos Costa Rica..
Central American style????? You mean when they want to grind out a result, they start dropping like flies over the smallest of contacts (if at all).
A concacaf team not named usa or mexico beating a south american team would bring more credibility to the region. So i hope costa rica wins.
Both sides will win their home matches. It’ll come down to who wins bigger.
@ r.benjamin – prolly this trip as it’s the same time zone as Uruguay, familiar language and a shorter flight (I presume) for most players.
yes, is Saprissa really that difficult to play in? we will see if another strong international side lets the stadium get to them… so far only mexico could play well there during this cycle.
Will be fun to see a team outside of Concacaf at Saprissa. Will give us more info regarding how difficult the place really is.
I wonder if Uruguay prefers this trip or to Australia last time..
This game costs 25 bucks to watch on TV. No chance I’ll pay that much. However, I am paying $20 plus $15 for Setanta so I can watch all four UEFA qualifiers tomorrow.
I’m hoping CR wins and represents CONCACAF. The seeding in the WC is all speculation. They change the rules as they go along. So let’s just hope we don’t get an African powerhouse, European powerhouse, and South American powerhouse.
I mean the USA was in with Chec Repbulic (top 5 at the time), Ghana, and Italy (the eventual winners)
so yes it is very possible.
Let’s go Ticos! I want to see Concacaf come out on top.
Do you really *think* this ought to be possible?
Costa Rica!!! Pura Vida!!!! Costa Rica 3 Uruguay 0. Represent this region with Pride!!!
Group A: South Africa, Slovakia, N. Korea, Chile
Group D: Brazil, Netherlands, USA, Ghana
Do you really this ought to be possible?
Its doesnt matter how the the seeds go, in order to win the world cup you got to beat the best eventually (Brazil, Italy, England, Argentina, Etc). Its a simple as that. Thats why only a few countries have won them and its harder to win them abroad. Just pray that the USA plays to a high standard and hope for luck. Thats all we can do.
Not only that but the better all the CONCACAF teams do in the World Cup, the better the seeding picture for CONCACAF next time around.
“Pots are done by region because FIFA wants each group to be a representation of the globe and true global competition of style and tactics.”
This may be the stated reason, but if it is, it’s BS. The restriction of teams from the same confederation in the same group achieves the same purpose.
The imbalance of teams within the pots that FIFA somehow so greatly enjoys favors the weaker teams in those pots, and disfavors the stronger teams in those pots. USA would be hugely disadvantaged if placed in the same pot with N. Korea and Bahrain/NZ. USA should have the same chance to draw one of those teams as similarly ranked teams (i.e., the second 10 in the FIFA rankings).
In 2006 Ukraine was the glaring beneficiary of this screwy FIFA system. They got to the final eight by being drawn into a group with Tunisia and Saudi Arabia, then facing a similar benficiary Switzerland in the round of 16.
I happen to think FIFA arranges the pots this way to benefit the lower ranked UEFA sides.
a Costa Rica win would be huge for CONCACAF, gotta root for the Ticos, it would bring a lot of respect to CONCACAF to knock out Uruguay, I think of all teams outside of Mexico in CONCACAF CR has the best chance of beating Uruguay because of their home stadium, i could see a 2 or 3 goal win at home and then hang on in Uruguay where are the pressure will be on Uruguay
Costa Rica needs a lopsided victory of 3-0 or better at Saprissa because they will certainly lose in Uruguay. Just need to capitalize at home as much as possible.
It only helps the US in the long run for CONCACAF to be strong and respected. Plus, I’ve come to respect the Costa Ricans over the years. And it’d be great to have more than two teams in the region be ‘powers’ who expect to be in the Finals every four years.
also gives us a better shot at getting into a group with asian teams…which I feel we’d have a better shot at.
If CR wins will be in the same pot at the Asian teams which means we won’t be in the same group
It would make no sense to have the pots by world ranking — that would be seeding. Of course there is also seeding in this process but there are only 8 of those. Pots are done by region because FIFA wants each group to be a representation of the globe and true global competition of style and tactics. After all, it is the WORLD Cup so that makes sense. Another reason is that each confederation has already played against each other to make it to the Finals of the World Cup, and it would make no sense to pit them against each other again. Except for in the case of UEFA because they have more entrants than groups. So there will be 5 groups with two European teams (13 teams – 8 groups = 5 left over). But then it’s likely that 5 European countries getting seeded with Brazil, Argentina and South Africa getting the other seeds.
Only reason I say this is because South Africa is already in group A.
Each Pot has typically had 8 teams.. If CR wins adding CONCACAF and CAF teams would = 9.
Anways, if we’re in the same pot as African teams, none of them would be put in the same pot at South Africa all getting put in the other pots and narrowing it down between the 3 CONCACAF teams with potential of being put into the South African Group…..although South Africa isn’t a step over as seen at Confed Cup (took both Brazil and Spain the distance, sound familiar)
although this is all just speculation
VAMOS URUGUAY!!!!
I hate to say it, but I think I would root for Mexico if they were in this position. Although I would be able to live with it if they lost. If Concacaf can get 4 teams that always helps when they change the allocations or the method to the playoffs. If the teams can get in and perform at a resonable level that is how you get more guaranteed berths.
I will be rooting for Ticos
I have to admit that I still do not understand the world cup potting described above. Anyone want to explain why the pots are done by region and not by world ranking? Thanks
Only reason I’m pulling for Uruguayis if 3 CONCACAF teams, could share pot with 5 African or 5 Asia/Oceanic…If 4 CONCACAF teams in 0 chance to be with a African team.
3 CONCACAF+5 African = same pot = 33%chance US draws South Africa and not the other 7 top seeds
I have heard claims that at Uruguay victory helps our chance of getting in the group with South Africa, but I would love to see Costa Rica win and improve the perceived status of CONCACAF.
I wanted Costa Rica to be the 4th place Concacaf team just because I think they stand the best chance of beating a South American squad.
Go Ticos! Represent our region with pride.
Brief shudder as I considerr the possibility that we could have been playing in this do or die series without Davies and Gooch….
Okay, on to the game. I tend to root for CONCACAF teams against other confederations. I’d love to see four CONCACAF teams make the second round next summer just to see how certain people rationalize it…
Personally pulling for uruguay…possible gives the US a much better chance at an easier bracket.
NZ-Bahrain is on FSC
I think they will both win their home games, it all depends on the shock value against the uruguayans. I could easily see them going into saprissa and just get shell shocked and man handled (especially if they go in overconfident, and the tico’s keep finish like they have been against us). I really think costa rica can keep it within a goal in uruguay so it all comes down to how uruguay reacts to the situation in saprissa. It will be very interesting and you really can’t go wrong with either of these teams being in the world cup; they both are quality sides that i would enjoy watching in south africa.
That’s what I was hoping to know… but I am sure NONE of the playoffs are on TV except the totally overpriced Setanta
Is this game on TV locally at all?